Composition of material



Patented Apr. 21, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,534,770 PATENT. OFFICE} HARRY c. CLAFLIN AND AnnLBEnT soisann, or nurse, wnsr VIRGINIA.

comrosr'rron No Drawing. AppIicat ion fiIed May 7,

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY C. CLAFLIN and Aonmsnnr Somme, citizens of the United States, residing at Nitro, in the county of Putnam and State of Nestv Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Composition of Material, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a composition of material for general use, and particularly for use as a bearing. metal.

' An object of the invention is to provide a metal which may be used to form shaft bearings, and the like, and which will provide a bearing capable of efficiently performing its oiiice for prolonged periods without necessity for the usual careful attention given to bearings of this kind.

A further and more detailed object is to, provide a bearing metal which will stand up, without danger of overheating or of other injury even if not sufficiently lubricated by the application of oil or other iubri cant thereto.

A further object-is to provide a metal alloy which, while highly efficient as a bear ing metal is at the same time capable of use in various other connections as for instance in the manufacture of so-called hard lead pipe, printers type, and for the manufacture of numerous other articles which have heretofore been made up of leadantimony alloys. I

Other objects and aims of the invention, more or less specific than those referred to above, will be in part obvious and in part pointed out in the course of the following description and application of principles constituting the invention, and the scope of protection contemplated will be indicated in the appended claims.

lVe have discovered that these results may be'attained by the use of a main body of lead mixed with a small percentage of metallic magnesium and of metallic SOtlltlIll. The quantity of magnesium employed may range from two (2) to six (6) per cent of the whole, and the sodium from one (1) to three (3) per cent.

J The three ingredients named, mixed in the approximate proportions indicated, produces a composition, or allo which is-of a hard e alloying of the magnesium wlth the and tough .texture, t ereby giving ample strength footh to make an excellent bearing.

but which is at the same time suit-' or MATERIAL.

192'1." Serial No. 467,543.

parted to the composition by the addition of the magnesiulnraises the melting point so that the heat generated, for instance, by arevolving shaft within an insutiiciently lubricated bearing, may be maintained for a prolonged period without likelihood of melting or dragging of the bearing. The increased degree of hardness also better adapts the metal to resist the pounds which often occur injournal or bearing boxes.

The small quantity of sodium employed is of great importance; first, in that it materially aids .in alloying the other two metals: second, that it renders the resultant'metal of a clearer and more homogeneous texture;

' and third, and most important. that it serves to reduce the co-eiiicient of friction thus reducing the frictional heat generated by the revolving shaft.

Any ordinary scrap lead-for other lead, which is not an alloy, may be emploved for this metal. It is first melted in an iron or other suitable container to a temperature only slightly above the melting point, the dross being skimmed ofl'. he'magnesium is separately treated in the same manner, and when both metals have been thus heated, the magnesium is poured into the lead. The resultant chemical heat facilitates the mixin; which is effected preferably by stirring. While still stirring, the mixture is allowed to cool until when almost at the point of solidification the required amount of metallic sodium is added in the solid state.

Before final cooling, the completed alloy thus formed, is preferably poured into suitable moulds.

Thereafter, it may be remelted and poured into bearings, according to the present methods in practice, of pouring bearing metals, or it may be used for other purposes, as for instance, in the making of printers type, the manufacture of so-called hard lead pi e, or for many of the other uses for whic the -well known lead-antimony alloy is now commonly employed, the present alloy in these uses being particularly valuable on account of its great strength and toughness.

In a test of this alloy, as a bearing metal, it was impossible to heat the alloy to a 'Lsuflicient de co to cause itto flow, or drag, the the she .was run. without lubricant for Letters Patent is LA' bearing metal consisting of lead.

magnesium and sodium, the proportion of.

magnesium being from two to six per cent of the whole and the proportion of sodium being from one to three per cent of the whole.

2. A bearing metal consisting of a mixture of lead, metallic magnesium and metallic sodium. the magnesium and sodium contents each being less than six per cent of the whole.

3. The hereindescribed method of producing a bearing metal, which consists in separately melting to a temperature only slightly above their respective melting points, a qu-a'ntity of lead and a quantity of metallic magnesium, stirring said melted metals together while allowing them to cool, .and then just before solidification placing in metals together while allowing them to cool,

and then before solidification placing into the mixture an ingredient such as metallic sodium. I

5. A bearing metal consisting of a mixture of lead, magnesium, and sodium, the lead being in largely predominant amount and the magnesium and sodium being in comparatively smaller but effective amounts.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY C. CLAFLIN. ADELBERT SCHADE. Witnesses A. M. DOUGLASS, D. E. VANARSDALE. 

